Northumberland-Schuylkill County PA Archives Biographies.....Quick, Joseph B. 1867 - 

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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 31, 2005, 9:32 pm



Author: Biographical Publishing Co.



JOSEPH B. QUIRK, the genial superintendent of the Prudential Life Insurance

Company for the Shamokin district, was born at Pottsville, Schuylkill County,

Pa., June 4, 1867, and is a son of Thomas and Alicia (McBarren) Quirk. Thomas

Quirk was a native of Pottsville, the county-seat of Schuylkill County, and died

when our subject was very young.



  Our subject received his education in the schools of Pottsville and

Frackville; and, although these places could not then boast of having such good

schools as at the present day, Mr. Quirk, by diligence and perseverance, made

the most of his opportunities and thus secured a thorough education, and so far

has thoroughly demonstrated that he can make practical use of his schooling.



  After leaving school, at the age of eighteen, our subject began his career in

life as a book agent, which occupation he followed for two years, discontinuing

it then to engage with the Prudential Life Insurance Company, which he still

represents. Mr. Quirk was stationed for one year at Tamaqua, a city of about

6,000 inhabitants. He proved himself to be such a successful solicitor that he

was promoted by the company to the position of assistant superintendent, and on

June 27, 1892, he was transferred to Shamokin, where he ceased to do actual

soliciting and assumed the more important duty of putting out new agents,

instructing them and keeping them at work. From time to time, as he learned new

things about the business, more important work was entrusted to him by the

company. For four years he continued to be assistant at Shamokin. Step by step

Mr. Quirk succeeded in mastering all the particular features and methods of the

business, and, being an apt reader of human nature, he put into execution many

plans of his own for securing and retaining new solicitors; so well pleased was

the company with his ability to organize that he was still further promoted and

made superintendent of the Shamokin district May n, 1896, which position he

still retains. He now has under his supervision, besides Shamokin, the minor

districts of Mount Carmel, Sunbury, Milton, Danville and Bloomsburg. At each of

these towns he has an assistant superintendent with a staff of men; the latter

do the actual soliciting and collecting and turn over the money thus obtained to

their superior, the assistant superintendent in charge of their town, who in

turn reports to Mr. Quirk, his superior. In this manner all the business

transacted in the district has to pass through Mr. Quirk's hands, and he alone

is responsible for the success of the business.



  Under Mr. Quirk's efficient management the business in his district has

increased so rapidly that he now has a force of seven assistant superintendents

and thirty-three field men, with a fine prospect for still greater increase in

force.



  In April, 1890, our subject was united in marriage with Emma Eveland, a most

charming lady; their home has been made happy by the presence of four beautiful

children, three sons and one daughter, namely: James, Ethel, Norman, and Harry.



  Our subject is an earnest Republican, of firm views, and does much to further

the interests of his party. Mr. Quirk can truly be called a self-made man,

working his way from a common book agent, going from house to house to his

present position, where he is living in affluent circumstances. His manner of

discharging his duties reflects credit on his ability and is a source of pride

and gratification to his employers. Mr. Quirk is a pleasant gentleman and is

respected and admired by all who have the good fortune to know him.





Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

  

  Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District

  Published by 

  Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)









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